Drivers of larger tractor trailer rigs have a commanding view of the road while traveling in a forward manner down the highway. However, their view is very limited when changing lanes or backing up into a tight loading dock. Mirrors help to some extent, but require the driver to quickly move their head to see both sides of the vehicle. This of course leaves the rear of the vehicle unprotected.
As a result of this deficiency, there are a number of commercially available small electronic cameras that are positioned on the rear of the trailer and which display an image on a dash-mounted monitor. While once again this helps, it now requires the driver to look in three (3) different locations when backing up. Furthermore, viewing a screen at a dashboard location is counter-intuitive due to the usual lack of a viewing device in that location.
Various attempts have been made to provide motor vehicle video cameras. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,695, issued in the name of Rosenfield et al., describes a vehicle viewing system including a television camera mounted on a support which permits vertical, horizontal, rotary, lateral, and tilting movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,321, issued in the name of Secor, describes a rear viewing arrangement for a motor vehicle including a plurality of rearward facing cameras which are reproduced on an LCD viewing screen integrated on the vehicle dashboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,612, issued in the name of Young, describes a vehicular camera system with plural perspectives including a processor which transmits a video signal of either a tight or left perspective of the camera based upon biasing of the turn signal lever.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,006,129, issued in the name of McClure, describes a rear-view display system for a vehicle including a display which replaces a conventional center-mounted rear-view minor.
While these systems fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such systems do not provide a sufficient plurality of views in order to ensure full vision about a vehicle. Also, many such systems are unsafe or insufficient for use in large trucks, particularly those without center mounted rear view mirrors. Furthermore, many such systems do not incorporate a display in a location which is normally viewed by a user when checking for nearby traffic. In addition, many such systems cannot be easily retrofit to an existing vehicle. Moreover, may such systems do not allow simultaneous display of all available views. Accordingly, there exists a need for a side mirror and video display system without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.